Multiple unit container



June 5, 1934. s YOUNG 1,961,321

MULTIPLE UNIT CONTAINER Filed Aug. 13, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l June 5,1934. M. s. YOUNG 1,961,321

MULTIPLE UNIT CONTAINER Filed Aug. 13, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 5.You a n l June 5, 1934. M. s. YOUNG 1,961,321

MULTIPLE UNI T CONTAINER Filed Aug. 13, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 PatentedJune 5, 1934 OFFICE,

MULTIPLE UNIT CONTAINER Marvin S. Young, Scarsdale, N. Y., assignor toThe Gas and Oil Lock Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of NewYork Application August 13,

16 Claims.

This-invention relates to improvements in dispensing systems and inparticular relates to a multiple unit container having a plurality ofstandardized unit containers.

With particular reference to the lubricating oil consumption of presentday automobiles, more than seventy-five percent of the engines requirean odd quantity of oil such as five or seven quarts to replenish thereservoir. Such replenishment has necessitated the use of a number ofseparate standard units such as half gallon or gallon containerstogether with a one quart container to measure theproper amount.Irregular containers such as five or seven quart containers are notstandard and are generally prohibited by the laws regulating weights andmeasures to reduce the possibility of fraud on thepublic.

It is therefore the principal object ofthis invention to provideamultiple unit container consisting of a plurality of standardized unitcontainers of any desired capacity which is particularly adapted forreplenishing lubricating oil in internal combustion engine reservoirsand which will be legally acceptable as well as easily conitrolled, andwhile my invention is directed particularly to the automotivelubrication field it will be understood that my invention may be used inany other field where dispensing containers are used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple unit portablecontainerconsisting of a plurality of standardized unit containersmounted on a common carrier and discharging through a common outlet.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multiple unit containerconsisting of a plurality of standardized unitsmounted on a commoncarrier and adapted to be filled through a common filling source anddischarging through a common outlet.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a multipleunit container which is adapted to be filled solely from an authorizedfilling source and filling from an unauthorized .source prevented, andin which individual units may be separately filled and discharged.

It is another object of this invention to provide a cooperating keyfilling spout and discharge nozzle in a turret top for a multiple unitliquid container whereby any of the individual units may be filled fromthe authorized filling source but no containermaybe filled from anyother source.

My invention is particularly intended to facilitate the'pouring ofmeasured amounts of ,lubri- 1931, Serial No. 556,817 (01. 221-45) eatingoil into the crankcase of automobiles many of which carry oddnumbers ofunits, such as five or seven quarts and inasmuch as many State lawsprohibit the use of five quart measures it is necessary for the servicestation attendant to fill five one quart units and wait at the car Whileeach one discharges or to fill one gallon and one quart and waitlikewise for them to discharge. By the use of my invention the attendantmay fill as many unit measures (quarts) as desired and then when thecommon outlet nozzle is inserted in the filler opening discharge as manyof the units (quarts) asdesired into the crankcase without removing thecontainer from its position on the fender or side of the automobile. Infact by depressing the desired number of outlet valves, five forinstance, he may goon about his other business knowing that exactly fivequarts of oil will flow into the crankcase, while the automobile ownerwatching the operation may be assured that he has received the exactamount of oil he is paying for.

While my multiple unit container is described below with specificreference to the use of an authorized key filling nozzle, it will beunderstood that my invention is not confined to this detail and that themultiple unit container, consisting of a plurality of separatestandardized single units discharging through a common outlet is avaluable part of my invention, regardless of what means may be providedfor filling the separate units.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appearfrom. thefollowing detailed description thereof taken in connection with theattached drawings which illustrate a preferred form of embodiment of myinvention and in which; i

- Figure 1 is a vertical section through a multiple unit containerequipped with a turret type filling inlet.

Figure 2 is a top plan view partially broken away of the multiple unitcontainer shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horzontal section taken substantially on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a detailed side elevation at right angles to the unitcontainer in Figure 1 on approximately theline 4-4.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section with parts in plan taken substantiallyon the line 5-5 of Figure 1 and showing the detail-of the particularfilling nozzle construction.

Figure 6 is a side elevation partially in section of the nozzleconstruction taken at right angles to Figure 5.

The multiple unit liquid container chosen to specifically illustrate myinvention comprises a top 14 and base 16 between which is supported aplurality of open ended preferably transparent glass containers 12,having gaskets 12a to provide liquid tight units.

The top 14 is provided witha carrying handle 16 more particularly shownin Figure 4 which forms part of a turret 18. A wire hook 16a is providedfor supporting the container from some part of the automobile. Thehandle 16 has a hollow conduit or inlet 20 through which the oil passesinto respective openings 22in the top 14 as the turret portion isturned. Each of the openings 22 is spaced substantially centrally of theunit container 12 which it is to fill and the turret 18 rotates around acentral shaft 26 which projects through the top 14.

In order to fill the unit containers 12 the turret top 18 is centrallymounted by a swivel 24 on the top 14 and may be rotated with respect toeach of the openings 22, so that when the inlet 20 is in communicationwith the oil pump the openings 22 may be brought successively intoregistry with the inlet 20 to fill each container 12 to the line 45which indicates its f 1 point. It will be apparent that the turret l8and particular filling inlet 20 could be omitted or modified and thecontainers 12 filled from an ordinary pump through the openings 22.

A suitable valve mechanism is provided at the bottom of each containerand the base 16 to prevent the discharge of oil during the fillingoperation and to permit discharge when desired. This includes a fingeroperated valve rod 23 on the end of which a valve 25 and closing spring27 is mounted to hold the valve 25 closed against the drain opening 29in the bottom of each container 12. Enlarged heads 31 are mounted on theupper ends of the rods 23 and act as thumb pieces to aid depression ofthe rods to open the valve and permit free drainage of the particularcontainer. A suitable notch 23a is provided in the rod 23 to latch holdthe valve 25 in the open position while the container is beingdischarged.

The base 16 is suitably secured to the top 14 as by means of a centralrod. 26 and a plurality of side rods 33 and is provided with legs 50which are constructed so as to support the container as a display standwhen not in use and to permit it to be placed on the automobile fender.

The container may be hooked over the tie rod.

from the cowl to the radiator or may be supported in anyother positionfrom which the oil may be discharged into the crankcase.

The drain openings 29 communicate with a funnel shaped discharge member28 secured to the bottom of the container and discharging into theoutlet tube 30 which is common to all the containers 12. The dischargemember 28 is connected by means of a suitable permanent coupling 28a tothe discharge hose 30 which is inserted in the crankcase or opening tobe filled.

The containers 12 may be filled through any suitable filling conduitsuch as the pump nozzle 32 which in this particular construction isprovided with a special key filling nozzle 34 which cooperates with theintake 20 in the handle 16 to which communicate with the single internalbore 3'7 and which in turn extends to the lower conduit 38 which opensinto the filling pipe 32. A ball valve 39 on the seat 40 acts to preventa return flow in the filling pipe 32, and also acts to withdraw the' oilremaining in the conduits 36 from the ends thereof in order that therewill be no drip when the container is removed from the filling spout.,This is accomplished as the ball returns to its seat when the supplyor" oil stops and the small movement of the ball withdraws the oil fromthe head 35 and away from the openings 36.

lhe filling inlet in the handle. 16 includes the lip 41 which overhangsthe extreme top 42 of the filling spout 34 and shields the cooperatingapertures 43 in the container inlet which in turn communicate with theintake conduit 20 communicating with the unit containers 12, so as toretard filling of the containers from anything but an authorized nozzle34. The top i42 of the pump nozzle is provided with a rounded end 42awhich fits into a rounded notch 43a, in the handle member 16 so as topermit the handle member 16 to be hooked over the top 42 and the actionof gravity swings the container around the fulcrum point 42a, 43a tobring the plural openings 43 and 36 into fiuid tight communication.

As more clearly shown in Figure 5, the flanges 41a of the filling nozzleon the handle 16 are adapted to extend on each side of the pump nozzle34, so as to prevent unauthorized filling and the apertures 36 and 43are adapted to cooperate so that the oil may pass from the pipe 32 intothe conduit 20.

The lip 41 and flanges 41a over the apertures 43 act as a substantialseal to prevent filling of the unit containers 12 from ordinary pumpnozzles and a cooperating filling spout such as 34 must be used forfilling. The filling spout 34 may be arranged for definite combinationsby varying the number or shape of the cooperating apertures 36 and 43and such combinations thus provide a key nozzle construction to preventunauthorized use of the apparatus.

A suitable indication or ridge 45 is used on the exterior of the unitcontainer 12 to show the height to which the fluid is to be filled andwhen such. height has been reached, the turret head 18 may be revolved apart turn to fill the next container. A spring pressed detent or ball 46cooperating with properly located seats 46a is preferably used toindicate the proper centering of the end of the conduit 20 with theaperture 22 in the unit container. The turret head 18 may also beprovided with a cam member 47 relatively adjacent to the valve memberfinger head 31 in order that the valve rods 23 will be pushed rearwardlywhen the turret is rotated to position over the container to release thenotch 23a and permit closing of the outlet valve 25. This willautomatically close the valves before filling begins although the valvemembers may close manually by releasing the notch portion 23a from thehead 14. The containers 12 cannot be filled through the discharge pipe30 because of the leakage around the funnel member 28 and the connection28a. Holes 49 may also be provided through'the bottom 16 and around thecentral .rod 26 so that the oil flowing back from the .pipe .30 willoverflow through these holes :or other ,meanssmay be usedtozpreventfilling the containers l2zthrough theoutlet 30.

The discharge funnel-28 is secured to the bottom '16 byimeans of rivets48, and after the rivets ,arewsecuredrthenut. 51 on the securing rod .26cannot be reached so that the multiple unit con- .tainer cannot be takenapart without destruction of the parts :so that-in. the embodimentillustrated the container.units can only be filled through :t-heakeynozzle, there willbe no opportunity to fill the-units throughthedischarge hose 30 and therefore the container :is proof againstunauthorized filling. Thisconstruction prevents the substitution ofinferior-products particularly lubricating oils,.and provides theproducer with a means :to protect thesale of his product and assure theconsumer that he :is receiving the grade .of oil hedesires. Thepurchaser may also see :that he is obtaining the .full measure of oilunits (quarts) desiredwhile the service station or garage attendant, byvhandling only one'multiple unit with. a-common discharge outlet for alltheunit containers 12 will be able-to supply the desired amount of oilup to the capacity of the complete unit with one .handling of thedevice.

.Although. I haversh'own in Figure 3 a multiple unit container employingeight unit containers, it

- is Within the scope ofithis invention to provide any number desired.In practice itsmay be found that armultiple unit container eitherfive orseven one quart units may. be satisfactory, for servicingparticularmakes of automobiles, it being understood that if seven quartunits are used any amount of liquid may be dispensed up to the capacityof the unit and five quarts may be as readily dispensed.

While I have shown a preferred form of embodiment of this device it willbe apparent that other modifications may be made therein and I thereforedesire a broad interpretation of my invention within the scope andspirit of the disclosure and of the claims appended hereinafter.

I claim:

1. An apparatus of the class described comprising a plurality of unitcontainers, a common head having filling openings for each container, aturret having a filling opening, said turret being movably mounted onsaid head and having a single discharge opening, said turret beingmovable to place the respective filling opening on said head and thefilling opening in a container in coincidental relation, 2. commondischarge means, valve means to prevent filling through said dischargemeans, and a unitary support for all said containers.

2. A multiple unit measure container for dispensing liquids, comprisinga portable frame member a plurality of unit measure containers enclosedin said frame member, means to fill said container in said frame member,a common discharge outlet for all of said containers and means toprevent filling of said containers except .through said filling means.

3. A multiple unit measure container for dispensing liquids, comprisinga portable frame member, a plurality of unit measure containers enclosedin said frame member, a common filling A source for said containers saidcommon filling source including a rotatable turret head having anopening movable into position adjacent each container, a commondischarge outlet for all of said containers, and valve means toindividually 5 control the discharge from each container.

i 4. An apparatus of the class described for dispensing lubricants,comprising a portablerframe member, means to temporarily support saidframe memberrrom an automobile, a plurality of unit measure containershaving transparent walls enclosed in said frame member, a turret havinga conduit by which said containers may be filled one at a time, adischarge conduit commonly draining all of said containers and ofsufficient length to reach the automobile engine lubricating reservoir,whereby said reservoir may be filled by gravity from said containers.

5. A portable dispensing apparatus of the type described, a top framemember having filling openings therein, a fillYng nozzle secured to saidtop frame member, said filling nozzle having a key inlet, a bottom framemember having separate discharge openings therein for each container,means to connect said top and bottom frame members together, saidconnecting means being sealed within the frame members. against opening,a plurality of open ended unit measuring containers supported betweensaid top and bottom frame members in fluid tight relation thereto, meansto fillsaid unit containers, individual valve control means for eachdischarge opening, said valve control means being operable concurrentlyto simultaneously discharge any number of containers and a one way flowcommon discharge nozzle of sufficient size to discharge all of saiddischarge openings.

6. A multiple unit container comprising a top, a turret filling head, aplurality of unit capacity containers, and a common base, means tosecure said container units between said top and said base, a commondischarge outlet for said units, and means whereby anyone of said unitsmay be separately discharged.

7. In a multiple unit container the combination of a filler conduitprovided with a key nozzle, a container to be filled, having a number ofseparate container units, a turret top on said container, a filling pipecontrol valve in said turret top adapted to cooperate with said keynozzle, and means to fill individual units of said container from saidturret top.

8. A multiple unit container having a plurality of separate unitcompartments of standard capacity comprising a top, a base, and aplurality of open ended members closed by said top and base, a valve ineach of said compartments, a single filling nozzle, and means toindividually fill said compartments through said nozzle and means toindividually dispense liquids from said compartments through a commonoutlet.

9. A multiple unit container having a plurality of separate unitcompartments of standard capacity, comprising a top, a base, and aplurality of open ended members closed by said top and 1 base, a valvein each of said compartments, and means to conduct liquids into saidcompartments individually, means to automatically close said dischargevalve in the compartment about to be filled, means to conduct liquidsout of said compartments individually, and means to prevent filling ofthe compartment through the discharge means, and a key inlet in saidtop, and means to prevent the filling of said compartments through saidinlet, except by the cooperation of a key nozzle. 7

10. A multiple unit container having a plurality of separate unitcompartments of standard capacity, comprising a top, a base, and aplurality of open ended members closed by said Lao loO

top and base, a valve in each of said compartments, and means toindividually fill and dispense liquids from said compartments, means toautomatically close said discharge valve in the compartment about to befilled, and means to prevent filling of the compartment through thedischarge outlet, and a key inlet in said top having a plurality ofspaced inlet openings and means to prevent the filling of saidcompartments through said inlet except by the cooperation of a keynozzle having a corresponding plurality of filling openings.

11. A multiple unit container havingv a plurality of unit containers, acommon filling means and a common discharge means, and. a unitarysupport for said container and discharge means, said support having aplurality of holes therein to provide leaks if said container is filledexcept through the filling means.

12. The combination of filling conduit provided with a key nozzle, acontainer to be filled, a turret top on said container, a key nozzle onsaid filling conduit, an inlet valve in said turret top adapted tocooperate with said key nozzle, and a conduit in said turret top wherebyindi-- vidual units of said container may be filled through said turrettop, said turret top being adapted to support said container from saidkey nozzle during filling.

13. A portable multiple unit container having a plurality of separateunit compartments of standard capacity comprising a top, a turret nozzlefor said top, a carrying and filling handle integral with said nozzle, abase, and a plurality of open ended members closed by said top and base,a valve in each of said compartments, and means to individually fill anddispense liquids from said compartments, said compartments beingtransparent andsector shaped and means on' said compartments indicatingthe point to which the compartments are to be filled, said containerhaving a substantially cylindrical contour and discharging from acentral point.

14. A multiple unit container comprising a top, a turret filling head,aplurality of unit capacity containers, and a commonbase, means tosecure said container units between said top and said base, alcommondischarge outlet for said units, means whereby anyone of said units maybe separately discharged, and means operated by said turret head toclose the discharge means when a compartment is to be filled to preventaccidental discharge therefrom.

15. In a multiple unit container, a plurality of container units, acommon filling means, a common discharge means, and a unitary supporttherefor, and valve means to individually control the discharge fromeach container unit, and means to prevent filling of a unit having anopen discharge valve.

16. A multiple unit container having a plurality of open endedcompartments, a turret head closure for one end thereof, a commoncarrier, base for the other end, a common discharge funnel associatedwith said base and a pivoted open coupling secured to said funnel toassist discharge and prevent refilling.

MARVIN S. YOUNG.

